4 Simple Steps to Take Charge of Your Personal Brand

Self-discovery is key.

In “#GIRLBOSS,” NastyGal.com Founder Sophia Amoruso, speaks in detail about the journey she has traveled to find herself. In order to know what you stand for, you have to be willing to do some self-discovery. If you’re like Amoruso, it may take years of being a freegan, being fired or a medical emergency before realizing what you’ve been placed on Earth to do. Identify your inner purpose and passion. Look at the spaces you occupy. Even distill it down to mundane things, such as where you purchase your coffee, shop for groceries, the car you drive, it all speaks to the essence of who you are. Self-discovery is also caring what other people think about you. If you don’t know how others perceive you, it is impossible to create the brand you want.

Be disciplined and consistent.

Be protective of your brand. It is okay to correct people who pronounce your name incorrectly. Something I’ve had to do all of my life. You will have to say ‘no’ when you’re asked to promote a cause that is not on par with your brand. When it comes to brand you, a degree of self-serving, self-centric and self-absorbed is welcomed.

Have an open invitation.

No brand is successful without a fan club. Peter Arnell, the man behind brands, such as Donna Karan, Pepsi and Samsung, says, don’t ask: compel people to see you the way you want them to see you. Think about Russell Simmons, co-founder of Def Jam and author of “Do You!” he went from being a manager of Hip Hop pioneers Run DMC to being an expert on vegan, yoga, and meditation lifestyle. He compels you to see him that way.

Create a fan club.

Your fan club will serve two purposes. One, they will cheer you along and keep you honest. Second, they will keep you on track and accountable, Like the word l-o-v-e, brand is an action word. Your personal brand journey won’t be easy, and you’ll need people around you who want to be vested in your success.

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